Our Story
Our Beginnings
Gili Coffee Roasters began with a simple idea – to create a café experience that felt intentional, welcoming, and deeply connected to Indonesia.
​
After travelling through mountain regions, visiting local farms, and tasting countless coffees, we discovered what many coffee lovers around the world are only beginning to realise: Indonesia truly produces some of the finest coffee in the world.
​
From the highlands of Aceh to the volcanic slopes of Lombok, Indonesian specialty coffee rivals the café culture and espresso bars of Melbourne — the coffee capital we once called home.
"The First Roast"
Our logo, our identity.
One of the very first coffees we trialled came from the high-altitude slopes of Mount Rinjani, Lombok — and it was pure gold.
Rich, smooth, and beautifully golden, the espresso inspired our first signature roast: Rinjani Gold.
​
That same coffee went on to shape the identity of Gili Coffee Roasters — from the tones in our logo to the silhouette of Mount Rinjani itself.
​
When the vision became clear, we chose Gili Air as the home of our first roastery: a place to build something slower, more intentional, and deeply connected to the origins of the coffee itself.
The sensory art of "taste"
Introducing Single Origin
Did you know that a single coffee bean can contain more than 1,000 different flavour compounds — compared to wine, which contains only around 200?
That discovery became part of our obsession.
Through many, many tastings, and refining our roasting style, we have developed unique flavour profiles from our single-origin coffees — transforming roasting into an art form in itself.
​
But what exactly does “Single Origin” mean?
​
Simply put, it refers to coffee sourced from one farm, one crop, one region, within a single country. More importantly, it represents traceability — knowing exactly where your coffee comes from and experiencing it in its purest form.
From altitude and volcanic soil to climate and processing methods, every detail influences the final cup. The result is coffee with distinct flavours that reflect the land, the farmers, and the journey behind every bean.
​
And the more we learned about coffee, the more we understood that great coffee is not only about flavour — it is also about the people behind it.
care.
Why Ethical Coffee Matters
Behind every great cup of coffee is a much larger global industry — one that can sometimes be affected by unethical practices, unstable economies, and unfair pricing that leave many small-scale farmers vulnerable.
​
That is why ethical sourcing has always been important to us.
We aim to support smaller farmers who may not have access to large storage facilities — something that often forces them to sell their coffee quickly at lower prices during fluctuating market conditions.
​
By working closely with local farmers and paying fair prices for quality coffee, we hope to help create a more sustainable and supportive system for the people behind every bean — even if it costs us more.
​
Because great coffee should not only taste good, it should also do good.
​
Supporting local farmers and producers across Indonesia is not just part of our sourcing philosophy — it is part of who we are.
Indonesia
about local.
At Gili Coffee Roasters, we do not import coffee from overseas — because everything we need is already here in Indonesia.
​
From volcanic mountain regions to fertile tropical landscapes, Indonesia produces some of the finest coffee in the world, and we believe there is incredible value in sourcing locally and supporting the communities behind it.
​
Beyond coffee, many of our other ingredients — including chocolate, vanilla, chai spices, and specialty teas — are also locally sourced wherever possible.
​
We even grow many fresh ingredients for our café menu in our own gardens.
​
By keeping our sourcing close to home, we hope to celebrate the richness of Indonesia while supporting local farmers, producers, and sustainable small-scale agriculture.
OUR COFFEE
Sourced and sorted by many loving hands, but with only one single ingredient.
100% Organic Arabica Coffee.
